


Worthy

by ChillyHollow



Category: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:41:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23444149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChillyHollow/pseuds/ChillyHollow
Summary: Robin's divorce is final
Relationships: Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike
Comments: 5
Kudos: 37
Collections: The Cormoran Strike Fest of Firsts





	Worthy

**Author's Note:**

> Response to the Fest of Firsts Challenge - keywords First Time/Romance/First Kiss

“What did I do to deserve this?” Cormoran asked when a draft beer magically appeared on the table he’d managed to snag before the pub filled up with the Thank God It’s Friday after-work crowd.“I thought it was my week to buy." 

Robin gave him a sunny smile as she sat down next to him.“My divorce decree came through!I’m celebrating being single again!” They toasted the divorce. 

“How long has it been since you filed?”he asked, more as a way to move the conversation forward than to actually know.The least said about Matthew, the better. 

“Over a year.I had to rely on ‘inappropriate behavior’ to get the divorce so I had to wait six months to file after I found out he was having an affair and moved out.And naturally he was a royal pain about it, refusing to agree on how to divide our savings, claiming I was having an affair as justification for his, and refusing to pay the legal costs to obtain the divorce.It took a lot of time and more money than I should have had to pay, but I’m finally free.”

They toasted the end of her marriage a second time.“What did I do to deserve him?” she mused. 

“Had to have been a Nazi in a past life, I reckon,” was his wry answer.They toasted that. 

She sat her wine glass down and looked down at the remaining pale yellow liquid.“You know what he texted me now that we are finally divorced?He’s marrying that cow.She’s pregnant, due next month sometime.”

He raised his eyebrows.“Are we taking bets on how long that will last?Two cheaters getting married to each other?They deserve each other.He can’t keep it in his pants,” he said baldly.“He’ll be chasing someone new before their kid is a year old.” 

“Mum says he is bragging at home about the coming baby.It will be a huge shock to him how much work babies are.He doesn’t like the world revolving around anyone else but himself.I feel sorry for Sarah, a little.I’m lucky a baby is on the way, though.He is fully capable of refusing me a divorce and making me wait five years to get one, just because he can.”They solemnly toasted the baby.He got them both a refill plus an order of fish and chips each. 

He decided to change the subject.“My ex is getting a divorce, too.” 

“Yeah, I saw that in the society pages.How old are her kids?”

“Around a year, I guess.She texted me and asked if I’d like to go to Paris with her to celebrate.” 

She looked at him, one eyebrow raised.“No, I’m not going.I’m not bloody stupid, am I?She’s already got some American millionaire in her sights, anyway.” 

“Good riddance to the both of them!”They toasted that and ate some of the fish and chips, both thinking their own thoughts.Noticing that her wine was nearly gone, he finished off his draft beer and got them another round. 

“Where do we go from here now that we are both fancy free?” she asked when he returned with their drinks.“Are you dating anyone?”

“No, I’m too busy.The job comes first.Once we are more established, I might have time for a personal life but not now.It’s hard to have a relationship with this job. The hours are erratic and we are busiest on nights and weekends which is when normal people have time off.”He ate some of his chips, then added, “Most romantic partners want someone who is around more.At least the women I like want something better.And a one night stand seems a bit impersonal these days.”

Robin pondered that.“I didn’t feel I could go out with anyone while the divorce was pending.Matthew claimed he was having me watched, although I think that was an empty threat.I never saw or sensed anyone and I think I would after all the training I’ve had.Anyway, I’m not up for just falling into bed to scratch an itch.I want something better.” 

They toasted something better, whatever that was.

After three rounds, he was feeling a little brave.“What do you mean by something better?Who’s worthy of you?” 

Robin pondered what the ideal man might be as she sipped her wine and ate her last bit of fish.“I want someone who is kind, smart, who respects me and my work instead of thinking that because I’m a woman I’m supposed to be this or that.I’ve learned looks can be deceiving, so I don’t care about them or about someone’s money or job.It would be nice if they were sexy as hell, though.”They touched glasses in a toast to Sexy As Hell.

She looked at him.“Who’s worthy of you?What are you looking for?”

“Well, sexy as hell works for me.But otherwise, I like someone who is kind and smart, too, plus a sense of humor is good.I don’t want someone who tries to change me and they have to be tolerant of my being a workaholic and not mind the leg.”

“Do many folks mind about your leg?” she wondered.

“More than you would expect.They find it off-putting.And I find that off-putting!”

“Don’t blame you,” she finished her wine and debated a fourth round.“So we have to look for someone who is kind, smart, with a sense of humor, who doesn’t mind we are damaged workaholics, who lets us be us, and of course they have to be sexy as hell.”She looked around the pub.“Not here!”

“You aren’t damaged!” Comoran protested. 

“Matthew and his mother thought so.Rape victims are often blamed for what happened to them, as if we brought it on ourselves.” 

He frowned. “I’m glad you are divorced.He didn’t deserve you.”

She nodded.“No, he didn’t.And you are well shut of Charlotte.She’s beautiful poison, that one.” 

“I know.I did love her, though.” 

“And I loved Matthew.But I got over it.”She started to toast him and realized the wine glass was empty, so she fetched them another round.He ate her last few chips.They drank their new drinks in silence, each sneaking a look at the other. 

He finally took the plunge.“Well, you know I think you are smart and kind and you put up with me, so I know you have a sense of humor.And you are sexy as hell.”

“Am I?”She pondered her feelings for her partner and decided to be honest.“You are pretty smart yourself, smarter than me, and you love that I’m as much as a workaholic as you.You are kind, too, and caring.And I also think you are sexy as hell.”She reached across the table and took his hand.They sat in silence holding hands as the world shifted around them, Strike stroking her fingers with his thumb. 

“You deserve better than me,” he told her.

“I get to decide that, not you.But what if we break up?That could impact the business.”

He pondered that.“I don’t see you throwing things at me, or letting what goes on after hours effect what goes on during business hours.I think I’m also mature enough to not let our relationship, whether it works or not, interfere with our business.However I don’t know if I could handle you dating anyone else, frankly.If you found someone new and it started getting serious, it would eat me up alive.”

“I know how you feel.I was upset when I saw that Charlotte was getting a divorce.I sort of expected you two would get back together, given your long history.I wouldn’t have liked that.”

Robin leaned across the table and kissed Cormoran, who rose out of his chair slightly to meet her.It was wonderful, their first kiss, and it was nice it was here in the Tottenham where they had spent so many hours together.They sat down and looked at each other, still holding hands. 

“Well, shall we?” he asked.

“Let’s.” She put down her wine glass, “Your place or mine?”

“Mine’s closer,” he pointed out.“We don’t have to start surveillance until after lunch tomorrow so we can sleep in.” 

“Sounds good to me.I love sleeping in and I expect sleeping in with you is going to be worth writing about in my diary.”Strike grinned at her as she drank the last of her wine, and picked up her purse.Then they walked hand in hand out of the pub into their shared future.


End file.
